Fathomless Eyes
by acompletenerd
Summary: Her eyes have seen things no child her age should have to behold. What do they reveal about her? What is her story? How does she fit in with the Avengers. A/N: This story takes place in AU MCU. The OC is bilingual (English/Spanish). Ships include Pepperoni and Clintasha. Warning: story contains discussion of abuse.
1. Chapter 1 : Introductions

**A/N:** Why hello everyone who chose to open this story, and welcome back to all those who are returning to this story. I started this story two years ago and I kind of forgot about it. To be fair I went into the Peace Corps, got sick, left, and had to readjust and recover. Now I am coming back to it. I have changed a few things so re-reading is a good idea.

I only own my OCs and plot. There are some heavy subjects in this story, but I aim to add humor as well. For some reason it is hard for me to write lighthearted/ fluffy stuff even though I read it all the time.

This story is set in an AU MCU. Essentially, after the first Avenger movie everyone stayed in the Stark Tower and just carried on life from there. Iron Man 3 never happened, same with Thor 2 and the 2nd Captain America movie.

One more thing you should know is that the main character, Kat, is half-Latina and she does speak Spanish. I will have the definition of any words in Spanish in parentheses after the Spanish word(s). I do speak Spanish (South American Spanish) but if I mess anything up or if I write something that is offensive to Latino culture please let me know.

Oh and character thoughts are italicized.

With all that said, I hope you all enjoy.

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 **Chapter 1: Introductions**

Crouched behind a broken wooden fence, the red haired woman, dressed in a black leather jumpsuit, touched a hand to her ear, "SHIELD Command, this is Black Widow."

A calm male voice responded, "Come in Black Widow."

"Command, we have target in sight."

"Copy Black Widow. Mission is a go. "

"Roger Command. Black Widow out." Nodding to the shadow on her left, she began to move forward, ducking through a gap in the fence and darting across an empty lawn.

"I can see you, just so you know," a soft feminine voice called out in the silence, causing both agents to freeze.

 ***** Previously*****

Staring into the mirror, Kat's eyes only held disdain for what she saw. It wasn't because she felt she was ugly. She knew she was attractive enough; although, the knowledge gave her no pleasure. Rather, her disdain was because of who she looked like. She looked like her mother: same dark brown wavy hair, same tall and curvy body type, and same heart shaped facial structure with high cheek bones. The only differences she could find between them were her skin - which was a shade lighter from her dark- tanned Latin mother, an obvious effect of her white father - and her eyes.

Her eyes did not come from her family. They were her own and therefore her favorite thing about herself. Large and almost almond shaped, her dark green eyes with gold flecks seemed almost black at times. At the age of seventeen her eyes reflected a world of suffering and exhaustion. Her reflection had her questioning how much longer she could deal with all this. Looking in the mirror she took a moment to adjust her too-large plain blue shirt that hung off one shoulder and her holey jeans.

Sighing, she tore herself away from the hallway mirror and headed outside. She paused for a second at the door, making sure everything was quiet. Her little sister should be asleep, same with that monster of a father. As much as she hated her mother she hated her father more. There were no sounds save hers; Kat let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Reassured, she opened the creaky backdoor and went onto the porch. Their small two story farm house was falling apart – the doors creaked, the hot water never worked, the upstairs railing was wobbly, the windows all needed to be resealed, the roof in her bedroom leaked, and the backyard fence was broken – but at least the back porch swing still worked.

After turning the porch light off, she settled onto the swing, and began to rock back and forth, staring at the stars. The cold air and silence helped her to let go of some of her anger and just breathe.

 _Es extraño_ (it's strange) _,_ she thought to herself while stopping her swinging in an attempt to listen better. _Nada, nothing is making sound._ Her eyes scanning her yard she caught a flash of movement. _So they came after all._ Kat let out another sigh, _better now than later._ Having previously decided on the best option she gently called out, her soft voice permeating the air, "I can see you, just so you know."

For a moment there was no movement. Then, she saw two figures, a few paces apart from each other, slowly stand in the yard. From the moonlight she would make out that one was a woman, average height and thin but curvy, and the other a man, whose shape reminded her of a Dorito, but there was something circular in one of his hands. The woman spread out her hand and arms – Kat assumed she did it to show she was unarmed – before walking forwards.

"We are not here to hurt you," the woman called out with a soft voice that invited Kat to trust her.

"No? Pero (but) you come sneaking in the middle of the night," she calmly countered before questioning, "What do you want?" By this time both the man and woman were only a few yards away. She recognized them immediately, their pictures having been blasted on the TV for the past year.

"We need you to come with us Ma'am," the man, who she knew to be Captain America, answered.

 _He looks shorter than he does on the news,_ Kat decided. _Of course, that could be his dark clothing choice._ "Why?"

"I think you know why," the woman, whose name Kat couldn't recall, countered.

Kat sighed, and prayed that this would end well. "…possibly…I will go, but only if my little sister can come with me."

There was a pause as both superheros clearly did not expect that answer. Both the agents looked at each other. She saw the woman's hands slowly come down to her sides. "Wouldn't it be better, if she stayed at home?" Captain America tried to reason with Kat.

"No," Kat replied, "I am all she has." Kat turned her attention back to the woman, seeing her reach for something on her leg, "And if you are thinking about stunning me, know that it won't work. You may knock me unconscious, but I will kill myself the moment I awake." Her decision was absolute. The only reason she had stayed in that hell hole so long was for her hermanita (little sister). She would not leave her. She didn't mean to sound dramatic, but there would be no compromise on this area.

 ***** On the Quinjet *****

 _How did it get to this?_ Steve wondered to himself as he sat in the cockpit of the quinjet. Looking over his shoulder, he made sure both girls were buckled and seated before giving Nat the signal to start the take off. The young child was fast asleep, while the older girl watched over her.

When the girl, their target, threatened to kill herself, Steve was stunned. It wasn't just what she said, but the conviction behind her words - her promise. Clearly something more was going on. After a look he exchanged with Natasha, they told the girl to grab her sister and come outside, trusting her not to run. Surprisingly enough, it only took ten minutes for the girl to come back down with a young child, possibly three or four years old, in her arms and a duffle bag over her shoulder. Both were compliant from there on out.

They had been in the air for a few moments before Steve started to speak, "Nat…"

"I know."

That was all that needed to be said. Nat altered the co-ordinates, while Steve made the call, "Stark, gather the team together, we have two new arrivals."

 ***** Moments Prior*****

"'Nina …. Nina… time to wake up" Kat gently called to her sleeping sister, shaking her awake. " Despierta!(Wake up)" she commanded after finding a quiet method was not working.

"Wwhhhhaaattt?" Nina groaned.

"We have to go," Kat told her as she reached under Nina's bed to grab the duffle bag Kat had hidden under there a week ago. Seeing her sister's actions, the three year old stopped complaining and got out of bed. With Kat's help she was dressed, in a jean jumper (overalls) and pink shirt, within a few moments. Seeing her sister wobbling with sleep, Kat carried her downstairs and out to the superheroes. She didn't look back at the house as she walked away, but instead prayed _Por Favor Dios, nunca podremos volver. (Please God we can never go back)._

Within a few moments of leaving the house, they walked to a weird plane/jet. Kat was determined to keep a straight face throughout the trip, but internally panicked at flying on such a strange contraption. She could say how much time passed before the woman called out, "We're here."

Taking a deep breath, Kat collected her bag and her sister, who was deep asleep, before following the woman and Captain America, off the plane. The small hanger in which they landed gave her no clue as to where they were, and the door they walked through only served to confuse her. She assumed they would take her to a military base, and while the floor was tiled and the walls steel, it did not have a military feel. Still, with the red haired woman leading and Captain America behind her she felt the walls closing in.

After passing a few doors they walked into an elevator, which took them to an obviously expensive living room/kitchen of sorts. There were low leather sofa seats atop a nice rug to her left and a kitchenette paired with a metal table to her right. Standing in the middle were a few people she never thought she would meet: Iron Man, the Bow Guy, and the Hammer/Cape Guy. Besides the recognizable characters there was also a strawberry blonde haired woman and a curly haired nervous looking man.

Upon seeing the others Kat halted. From of the corner of her eye she noticed the Captain's hand coming up to touch her shoulder. Out of habit she flinched away. _Cómo embarazoso (How embarrassing)._

He quickly dropped his hand. "We won't hurt you," he softly assured her.

"Yeah, we're the good guys," Iron Man verbosely told her, his loud voice causing her shoulders to tense.

"Young maiden," the Cape Man started, "you have nothing to fear. We are honorable." From there Kat listened as he introduced the others. Kat had to admit it was nice knowing her kidnapper's names, but it was hard to listen as her sister grew heavier in her arms by the moment.

"Here," Pepper, the previously unrecognized strawberry blond woman, began walking towards Kat with her arms open, "let me take her for you."

While Kat couldn't sense any mal-intentions from the woman she still backed away from her. Her movements caused Pepper to stop. " No toques (Don't touch)," Kat fiercely told the woman, reverting to Spanish, the language her family use to speak at home when she was younger.

"Aw hell, don't tell me she didn't understand a word of what we just said!" Stark whined.

The lack of sleep and frustration caught up to Kat, evident as she glared at him, "I speak English you dipshit. It's called being bilingual."

That shut him up and everyone else for that matter. After a second the archer – Barton – started to laugh. Looking around her she saw the others react the same, even Stark smirked.

"Hell, I like you kid. Not many people can shut him up," Barton told her, causing her to give a small smile. Feeling more at ease she met Pepper's eyes.

Kat took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "I'm sorry I snapped at you…but…no one touches my sister besides me."

"I understand, I only offered because you looked tired."

"We are all tired," Rogers spoke up, "let's get some rest and then we'll talk in the morning. Pepper, could you show them to a room please."

Kat looked at him in surprise, "A room? I'm not going to be locked up in a lab or cell somewhere?"

His eyes seemed to soften, "No… get some rest."

Stunned Kat followed Pepper to another bedroom. _That was too easy,_ she thought following Pepper to a room.

Steve and the others waited till Pepper returned before they began to talk.

"Sorry, that took a bit. I was helping Kat dress Nina for bed." Pepper informed the group upon returning. By this point they were all hanging around the kitchen area. Bruce had coffee in his hands, while Tony and Clint both held drinks.

"How did you learn their names?" Barton questioned

"It was horribly complicated. I asked," Pepper responded. Then after a moment added, "Where did you find them?"

"The older girl was our target, an extraction mission," Nat replied.

"Why would SHIELD want her?" Bruce probed.

Both Steve and Natasha shook their head. "We don't know. " Steve continued, "We were only told she was a potential target to be treated with caution."

"That girl?" Tony sounded in disbelief.

"She…she threatened to kill herself if we didn't let her bring her sister along," Steve somberly reported to the team.

"Something else is going on here," Clint added into the conversation.

"Did anyone else notice the bruises?" Pepper quietly inquired.

"Bruises?" Bruce and Tony both echoed. The others nodded their heads.

"The older girl had them on her collarbone and wrists." Clint told Bruce and Tony.

"Abuse," was all Nat said.

"Possibly," Pepper agreed and continued "We can't give them to Fury."

"And we won't," Steve promised. "Stark – " he began.

" – I got it," Stark interrupted, " I will do some digging."

"Thanks, but for now let's get some rest."

A mix of "you got it," "sure," "OK Cap," and "who needs sleep," answered him.

Unannounced to all of them, the eyes that had warily watched them through outside of the open door seemed to relax at their decision before slipping back into the darkness. Only JARVIS noted the anomaly. His sensors detected something was there, but there was no video evidence. The AI decided to do a full sensors check just to be safe.

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 **A/N: Review please.**


	2. Chapter 2: Revealing

**A/N:** First off, I only own my OCs and plot. Secondly, there is a note about the language at the end of the chapter. Remember that I have placed the English definitions of any Spanish words in parentheses after the Spanish word(s). Also thoughts are in italics.

Thank you nightmarehunter676 and Catsar for the reviews/encouragement!

 **Without further ado, enjoy and please remember to review/favorite/follow and share.**

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Chapter 2: Revealing

"Kitty…Kitty.." a soft young voice called out. "Kitty wake up….wake up!" Kat abruptly sat up in bed as her sister yelled in her ear. Confusion and anxiety filled her as Kat rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. _Donde?_ ( _where?_ ) she asked herself as she looked around the large room. It was too big…too clean…and had too many expensive things in it. It took her a few seconds before she recalled the events of last night. That took care of the confusion, but her anxiety remained in full force.

The little urchin, whom she knew as her sister, started to fuss at seeing her sister's divided attention. Kat failed to hold back a laugh upon seeing her. Apparently the little girl had tried to dress herself. In the background Kat could see their duffle bag open and clothes scattered on the floor. Her sister had an inside out Mickey Mouse shirt half on, two different color socks – pink and purple- on her hands, and a black and green flowery skirt on.

"No laugh!" Nina huffed.

"lo siento (sorry) Nina," Kat giggled as she moved to help her sister fix her outfit.

"…okay… " the little girl grumbled, but quickly changed her attitude when she was properly dressed. " …You like? I pick it!" Smiling at the little girl Kat nodded.

"Food?" Nina asked, looking up at her sister expectantly.

"En un momento (In a moment) Nina, I need to get dressed," Kat explained to her sister who pouted a bit before playing with one of her toys they had packed.

A little while later, after using the restroom, Kat realized she had a problem. She had only packed clothes for her sister along with a few of her sister's toys. With a sigh she picked up her clothes from the night before. _Quiza puedo encontrar un trabajo (Maybe I can find a job_ ), she tried to think positively to herself. Of course as soon as she thought that she felt despair realizing it would never happen; she was going to be turned into a science experiment. She may not be in a cell or lab at the moment, but there was no doubt it was coming.

Thankfully that train of thought was interrupted by a British male voice coming from nowhere, "Ms. Kat and Ms. Nina," Nina ran to her sister's side in fear, "breakfast is ready."

"Who – who are you?" Kat voice wavered as she looked around and could not find the source of the voice. Her sister's grip on her leg was beginning to hurt.

"My apologies Ms., I am JARVIS, an AI system that Mr. Stark created and uses in all his properties."

"Ay, Dios mío (oh my god), I didn't think one was created yet," Kat exhaled.

"I can assure you Ms. that I am real."

Kat snorted at the AI's comment. "Where is breakfast at JARVIS?"

"If you proceed down the hall to the third door on your left you will arrive at the correct location."

"So where we were last night?"

"That would be correct Ms."

"Thanks Jarvis."

"You're very welcome Ms."

Kat shook her head in amazement at the place they were temporarily residing. Feeling a small hand grab hers, she looked down. "Sis is smart," the little girl smiled up at her.

"Ah, gracias mamita." (mamita* is an affectionate term for little girls, although it means little mother). Holding hands they both walked down the hallway.

Everyone was there,but in various degrees of wakefulness. They seemed genuine, but Kat wouldn't put it past them to be acting. Thus, breakfast felt tense and awkward, at least for Kat it did. Her sister seemed happy enough eating chocolate chip pancakes, especially when she found she was allowed seconds. Kat, on the other hand, had to force herself to eat. The food was delicious, but every second she felt like someone would drag her from her chair and throw her in a lab. It didn't help that as the meal dragged on everyone kept glancing her way.

As everyone finished eating, Kat grew more and more tense. She could tell they all wanted to talk with her. She realized there was no getting out of it, but at the very least her sister didn't have to witness whatever would happen. Besides, there were some things she didn't want her sister to know.

"Nina, mi amor (my love), why don't you go play in the room we slept in?" She gently asked her sister as she wiped the maple syrup off the little girl's face.

Then a miracle for Kat occurred, her sister actually listened, "Okay," she agreed without argument.

"I'll stay with her," Pepper offered.

"Gracias (Thanks)," Kat accepted

Before they left, Nina gave her sister a hug and joyously said, "Kitty you is right. They come and we good now." Kat forced a smile but was inwardly cringing at her sister's statement. _She had to say that. Dios ayuda me (God help me)._ Hand in hand, Pepper and Nina left the room, leaving Kat to face the curious and intimidating heroes.

Silence passed for a few moments.

"Who are you?" Stark asked bluntly.

"You brought me here and you don't know?" Kat avoided the question.

A question which Romanoff answered, "Katherine Maria Wilson, daughter of Kyle Wilson and Maria Mariel Gomez age 17, sister to Nina Mariel Wilson age 3."

Kat shifted in her chair, "Well, there you go."

"That doesn't answer the question," Barton retorted.

"How did you know we were coming?" Romanoff redirected, and then before Kat could say anything she added, "Don't try to deny it. You came outside last night in ten minutes with your sister dressed and a packed duffle bag. It's not possible to have done that unless you had packed the bag earlier. Not to mention what your sister just said."

Kat fought the urge to run. She fought the urge to curl into a ball. She allowed herself to simply grip the edges of her seat.

Banner, so far a casual observer of the past events, couldn't help but feel for the young girl sitting diagonal from him. With each passing second she reminded him more and more of a trapped animal – so much fear. No one had spoken for a while after Romanoff finished speaking. They were all waiting for her to respond. She seemed to be waiting for the opportunity to run away.

"We won't harm you," Banner found himself promising her. He didn't mean to speak, but she seemed to need the reassurance.

"Por que no?(Why not?)" the girl mumbled under her breath. Her distrust for them was obvious, not that he blamed her. She finally answered, "I did pack the bag earlier. I packed it a week ago."

"So you can see the future?" Stark sounded both excited and doubtful at the same time. Banner had to resist shaking his head at his friend; the man was like a five year old sometimes.

The girl seemed to struggle to form a response, "No, es como (it is like) a feeling I get... like I felt I had to pack…like I felt someone was coming or I knew somehow my sister and I were leaving…"

"Do you have these feelings often?" Barton voiced a question that was in most of the heroes' minds.

 _Claro preguntaron eso_ (of course they asked that) _,_ Kat thought miserably to herself. That question brought back too many memories. Throat closing she forced herself to answer, "…no…only before something big happens."

"How many times? What happened?" Stark insisted, obviously dissatisfied with her vague answer.

Panic started to set in for Kat. She couldn't talk about it. If she talked about it she would re-live it. She wasn't about to do that right in front of her kidnappers. She tried to answer minimally, "Only a handful of times."

"How many times exactly? What were the circumstances?" He kept pestering her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she tried to reply in a calm voice. Her heart was beating faster. _Why won't he leave it alone!_

"Why don't you want to talk about it?"

"No," she tried to insist. She felt the pain coming on.

"No? Just tell us." Stark pushed.

" NO! " her patience broke. Horror filled her as she realized she had just screamed at the people who controlled her fate. Not only that, but she had lost her temper, which was a bad thing when it came to her.

The others seemed just as shocked at her outburst as she was. She was two seconds from getting up and running away, not that she thought she would get far. Realizing she wouldn't get far she folded into herself and curled into a ball on the chair. She shut her eyes, held her head in her hands and waited for pain.

She could sense movement. Someone large walked over to her. It took all her willpower not to jerk away from him when he set his hand on her shoulder.

"If you don't want to talk about it right now you don't have to. Okay? We won't hurt you." Roger's voice was calming but it gave her no relief.

She just nodded, hoping he would remove his hand quickly.

"Cap, move your hand," Romanoff ordered him. From the corner of her eye she could see his confusion, but thankfully he did as she said. Kat couldn't help but be relieved only one of them could read her nervousness. There was silence as the Rogers moved back to his seat only to be followed by more silence.

Kat took a deep breath and uncurled herself. She stared at her lap, "…what…what else do you need to know?"

She heard Romanoff ask, "How did you know we were outside your house?"

Internally Kat was at war. She knew she had to share some information with them. She didn't want to, but she needed to give them something to trust her with. Maybe it could be a test for them as well. She also felt she owed the woman for making Rogers stand down, "I… I could just tell…"

"How?" Barton questioned,once again speaking for the group.

She struggled to find the words to describe her ability, "I have, cómo decirlo (how to say it), enhanced perception."

"What do you mean?" Barton pushed.

She sighed, "I can sense things… when something is off...or different… So I knew someone was there because it wasn't normal…if that makes sense."

The Captain quickly asked in a tight voice, "How did you get these abilities?"

Kat shrugged, "I was born this way." Her throat tightened, "I've had them as far back as I can remember."

This apparently invited discussion among the scientists. "Something might have been injected in her before birth," Banner theorized.

"Or there could be something in her blood," Stark added and then continued, "we will have to do a full analysis – "

"We can run battle scenarios – " a different voice added. "Imagion the possibility on missions – " yet another added.

Kat immediately reacted by putting her hands over her ears. She didn't want to hear what they would do to her. _Por mi hermana, Por mi hermana_ (For my sister) she thought to herself to give herself strength.

"STOP" she heard a loud voice cancel out the discussion of everyone. Looking up she saw Rogers gesturing to her, "Don't you see what your conversations are doing?"

Realizing they were once again staring she removed her shaking hands from her ears. She was fighting back hysteria at this point. She kept her gaze on her lap as her eyes started to fill with tears. Kat knew she couldn't avoid what was coming."…Please…wh-whatever you do to me…I…just…please, don't hurt my sister…I promise she has never shown powers…I'll cooperate…I'll be good. Just- just don't hurt her…" she let her voice tapper of before it became filled with sobs.

No one said a word for long enough that Kat began to despair. They would experiment on her and then her sister. She had doomed them. Then before she began to fully panic, she heard Roger's voice, "We do not hurt children." She looked up, finding his face filled with honesty, "We protect them. I promise you, we will not hurt her nor you. We are here to help."

Tears flowing down her face Kat began to fill with hope as she heard the sincerity behind his words. She couldn't help but also feel confusion, "R-Really? Then why did you take me?"

That questioned caused him and Romanoff to stiffen. He seemed to struggle for a reply, " We – "

"S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted you – " Stark interjected, " – but they brought you here."

His answer had a few people sigh and others glare at him. "S.H.I.E.L.D.?" she asked, never hearing the name before.

"Big brother? Super secret spy agency?" He causally answered.

She felt exhausted, "So you are taking me to them?"

"No," this time Rogers responded, "we decided you were both safer with us."

Kat let out an exhale. She had escaped a narrow fate. These people would be better than a large spy agency. That much was obvious. "Thank you," she spoke softly. No one responded to that. "Can…Can I go check on my sister?" Kat decided to push a bit. She needed time. When no one objected she silently slipped out of her chair and left the room.

"Well that was both helpful and not," Stark causally mentioned after the girl had left the room.

"Did you find anything else about her background?" Barton inquired.

Stark shook his head, "Her parents' were a dead end. No mention of either of them before Katherine's birth."

" False identity," Barton offered.

Stark nodded, "Yes. I'm still searching through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database and back channels for name, history, and facial matches."

"What about the girls?" Banner questioned.

"JARVIS," Stark called.

JARVIS answered, "Katherine Wilson is recorded as attending Mason Elementary School in Ohio, but upon finishing the fifth grade she was home schooled from then on. Nina Wilson has no daycare or school records."

"Something must have occurred so her parents pulled her from school." Barton stated the obvious.

"If they are indeed her sires," Thor, who had remained observant throughout the whole exchange, pointed out. The others nodded in acknowledgement of the possibility. Whatever their backgrounds there was more going on than any of them knew.

JARVIS interrupted whatever discussion could have come next, " Sir, Director Fury is on the line."

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 **A/N:** So I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll try to update again soon.

Just a note about the language: it is my habit to slip in and out of Spanish when I speak/think. Usually I substitute English words for Spanish words (and other languages) that are either shorter or I like more. I have no idea if native/bilingual speakers do the same thing, but since I do that I wrote Kat the same way; hence why she will slip in and out of Spanish. Her sister, who is only three, only speaks English but understands Spanish.

Please review/follow/favorite! Also check out my other story What If? It's about what if Loki won the battle of NYC. I do plan on writing a sequel for it. All the other short stories on my page are pairs for that story.


	3. Chapter 3: confrontation

A/N: I'm trying to write some based on Nina, Kat's 3 yr old sister's, POV; with that in mind I still used complete sentences for narration for all of our sanity. I am also working off the basis that she is a brand new 3 year old: having trouble with certain sounds and unable to speak in complete/full sentences, save for a few words.

Also, I am well aware that Thor's speech patterns hold to be more or less normal to our standards, but I have too much fun making him speak almost old English/formally.

TRIGGER WARNING: as mentioned in the summary, this story does deal with abuse. This chapter will bring the topic of abuse more to the forefront.

Guest: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad I'm not alone in mixing my languages.

 **Chapter 3: Confrontation**

Nina was having a great time. She and Kitty were somewhere pretty with nice people. The fruit hair lady was very nice. She thinks her name is Pep. She got to eat pancakes! Twice! Now she was playing with her doll while Kitty talked to the others. The nice lady was playing with her.

Nina suddenly paused in her playing. She had almost forgotten. "'ank you," she told the nice lady with a smile.

The pretty lady smiled back. "What for sweet girl?"

Nina let her words gush out, "for secondsies and food and playing and this room. You is nice."

The nice lady was quiet for a second, "You're very welcome Nina. You are a very sweet girl."

At her words Nina's smile grew larger. She felt good as she went back to playing house with her doll.

"Nina?" The nice lady got her attention after a little while. Nina looked up at her. "Do you not get to eat that much at home?"

Nina thought for a second. Kitty told her not to tell people about home. Daddy was mean, but Kitty said it could be bad-er. Nina never got to talk to other people much though. And the pretty lady was nice. But… "I eat at home."

"But not that much?" The pretty lady was pushy.

Nina shook her head.

"What is home like?" the pretty lady asked.

Nina shook her head a lot. "No talk about home."

The lady tried to ask more questions. Nina shook her head harder and wanted to cry. "leese Kitty be mad."

"I'm sorry Nina. I won't ask any more questions right now," the lady promised. Nina sniffled away a few tears. "Now, tell me about your doll."

Nina was more than happy to do that. They played until her Kitty came in.

Rogers slowly unwrapped the bandages off his hands as he tried to even out his breathing. The call from Fury did not go well; thus, he did the only thing that helped blow off some steam: go to the gym. While he still clashed with Stark, Rogers had to give him credit for his house; even if it was one ugly building. The tower had a gym, shooting range, labs, floors for each Avenger, and who knows what else. He looked up when the gym door opened. He instantly stilled when he saw who it was. The girl, Kat, peeked her head in for a second before opening the door fully allowing her sister to totter in. The little girl ran the moment she saw the free space. Rogers let out a small smile at the sight. A smile that widened when he saw Kat had the same reaction.

Of course that smile was gone the moment she spotted him across the rather large room. "Sorry, JARVIS said it was okay," She told him almost fearfully before turning and moving towards her sister, "Nina, vamos (we're going)."

"No!" the toddler yelled, running from her sister.

"You're okay here. I'll go." Rogers insisted, gathering his things and walking towards the doors.

His words caused Kat to pause. " Really?" she seemed almost astonished that she would be allowed to use the space.

He smiled gently, "Yes. Feel free to use it. And anytime JARVIS says it is okay then you are fine."

She slowly nodded, "Thank you." He returned the nod before walking out. He paused at the door, "Would you like me to get a ball out for your sister to play with?"

Kat looked close to refusing when her little sister yelled, "BALL! Ball leese!"

Smiling Kat nodded, and thanked him after he retrieved a soccer ball from the storage closet. As he walked out Rogers couldn't help but feel a bit lighter. _Maybe there is hope yet._

Kat was smiling watching her baby sister play with the soccer ball Rogers had retrieved for them. The kind act stunned her. She wasn't use to it.

Her musings were interrupted by her sister teetering over to her. "Hungry Kitty," she called to her in an undeniably adorable baby voice.

"Let's put your ball away and go fix that okay?" She offered. The three year old nodded in agreement. Nina was use to clean up. Kit had to be very strict about it to avoid their father's anger.

"Ms. you are welcome to use any food in the kitchen located in the common area if you are hungry," the robotic voice of JARVIS called out, making Kat jump slightly, _Nunca voy a acostumbrarse a eso (I'm never going to get use to that)._

She didn't like it?...him?.. Whatever. She didn't like JARVIS monitoring her all the time, but she really couldn't expect differently. She was lucky not to be in a cage at the moment. That's what her father always reminded her of.

"Gracias (thanks) JARVIS," Kat responded as she put her sister's toy away. Picking the little girl up, they began the journey to the kitchen. Thankfully it was rather straightforward. She was sure JARVIS would direct them if needed as he had directed them to the gym in the first place. A three year old cooped up in a room is never a good idea.

Her sister was coloring at the too tall table while Kat cooked. She was glad that she thought to shove the tattered, but thankfully incomplete, Disney coloring book and broken crayons in the duffle bag. They stop by their room on their way to the kitchen for it.

She felt odd about using the kitchen. She didn't want to get in trouble, but JARVIS said it was okay. Rogers said JARVIS was the authority. To make up for the trouble of feeding them, Kat made enough for the others…well she hoped she did.

She had just finished fixing her sister a plate of chicken and fried rice when Barton walked in. They both seemed to freeze for a moment.

"I-I made food. JARVIS said it was okay." She quickly offered after her initial reaction wore off.

"That is a lot of food for two kids," He pointed out.

That made her blush slightly, "It's for everyone."

"You cooked?" He sounded impressed.

"It's just chicken and fried rice," she muttered.

"JARVIS let the others know lunch is ready," he called out. His words made her tense again. She was hoping to avoid that. Oh well. She automatically made a plate for him. He seemed surprised that she would serve him, which she felt was strange. She always ate last. Once again, as she was about to make a plate another person arrived, and so on until everyone was eating. The meal was rather subdued and everyone complimented her food. She was slightly surprised they ate it considering who she was.

Kat let out a small sigh, she hadn't made enough food. There had been a little left, but she left it to help her sister eat. By the time her sister was finished someone else finished the leftovers. While Nina was distracted once again with coloring, Kat found a banana on the counter. The low volume chatter was foreign to her, but felt comforting while she washed the dishes.

"Is that your lunch?" Romanoff's voice came from behind her. Kat jumped, dropping the plate in the sink. _Gracias a Dios que no lo roto (Thank God I didn't break it)._ Apparently the noise was enough to gain that attention of everyone left in the kitchen, which was everyone.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized before continuing, "Is that okay? It was out so I thought it would be."

"Young maiden, did you not find favor in the feast you prepared?" Thor inquired from his seat.

Kat bit her lip slightly and avoided eye contact. "There wasn't enough," she murmured. No one said anything to that.

"Katherine," Pepper called, "Would you like me to make you something?" Her offer stunned her. Looking at her face Kat could tell she was genuine.

She hadn't had anyone cook for her in years, save for breakfast this past morning. Kat figured they had cooked breakfast for themselves and just included her and her sister because they were there. They had only been here one day and it wasn't like she was doing anything or was worth anything. Having someone cook for her again would be too much trouble. They would demand something from her in return.

Kat shook her head, "I'm fine with the Banana." She was use to going hungry.

Pepper frowned. Before she could speak Nina called out, "Kitty they nice. You can eat. Daddy no stop."

Her sister's words once again made her freeze. She bit back a yell. Before they could say anything she quickly side stepped the others, grabbed her sister, and moved out of the room. She knew she would get in trouble for leaving some of the dishes, but she would go back later. Nina's words would cause questions, and she didn't want to answer any. Whenever her father was mentioned she was either filled with anger or fear. In this case it was fear.

The Avengers exchanged various looks of concern and worry.

Pepper took advantage of the silence to share what she had learned, and hadn't learned, during her playtime with Nina.

"JARVIS," Stark called out his AI's name when Pepper finished.

Sensing what he wanted JARVIS responded, " In accordance to New York state law, you can file a report and they will investigate, but is unlikely for anything to come from the investigation; however, filing a report could lead to the exposure of what can be classified as the kidnapping of Ms Wilson and Ms. Wilson."

"Not to mention S.H.I.E.L.D. would never allow it," Romanoff added.

"We have to fix this," Banner proclaimed with his eyes slightly green. Angry at the thought of what that girl has gone through.

"We will," Rogers answered with the others nodding as well.

A/N: Know the signs of Child Abuse and Neglect. Report it. Be aware and don't allow any child to suffer. .

Also I am aware Pepper is the CEO and really shouldn't have the time to play with Nina and hang around the tower. For argument's sake lets just say it's Saturday and she is off work.


	4. Chapter 4: Turning Point

Chapter 4: Turning Point

A/N: So sorry for the delay in updating everyone! In my defense I have moved countries so... I will try to write more now that I am getting settled in.

Warning: Crude Language and Reference to Child Abuse

* * *

Kyle Wilson had spent the last ten minutes screaming and cursing at the top of his lungs. He had awoken to one hell of a hangover. His bitch of a daughter knew to come the moment he called. She was a good for nothing pain in his ass, but at least she was obedient and kept his other brat from bothering him. She was going to be in a world of pain when he found her though. Yet the longer he searched the longer his anger turned to fear. Not out of concern for her safety. He didn't love her. He did have to watch over her though. She was his assignment.

Eighteen years ago he had been ordered to keep a close eye on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Mariel Gomez. He used his cover, wormed his way into his heart, and, under orders, married her. He maintained his facade wonderfully, or rather well enough. It was hard to suppress his need for violence over the years. Hydra had been pleased the day his daughter's powers were set off in school. They were apathetic about his second child accidently popping in the picture. Hydra was beyond displeased when Gomez left. His bitch of a wife left him with the two snot nosed kids. They had yet to find her. He was punished for that. Oh how he was punished. His redemption was those brats…who were now missing.

Covering his fear with anger Kyle used his rusted ford ranger to drive into town. His eldest would walk there on occasion. Thankfully for him the town was comprised of one main road with basic store front. After checking in all the stores and surrounding areas he had to admit they were gone. Hydra would not be pleased.

* * *

Banner sighed and sank deeper into his lab chair. Rubbing the bridge of his nose between his eyes, he tried to clear his mind. Ever since lunch a few hours ago his focus was shot. He's mind kept returning to the girls. He wondered how similar his childhood was to theirs. His father had been a right old bastard, drinking and beating his mother. He killed her and himself one afternoon. He hoped their childhood was better than his, but he doubted it.

He didn't know what to do. Fury was very clear that he would only allow the girls to remain with the Avengers if they could get them to cooperate. Banner was positive the others would fight Fury for trying to remove them, but that would be a hard situation that was better to avoided. Banner would rather convince Kat to go to medical than the lab. He was concerned about what injuries she could have. He knew she was scared of him, probably because his tangent with Stark about her powers last night.

Shaking his head Banner slowly stood and went in search of Stark. They needed to discuss some things.

* * *

Kat sat on the floor, next to her and Nina's bed, hugging her knees to her chest while Nina played quietly on the floor in front of her. She couldn't believe she had done that. She had run from the room. Worse she had left a task unfinished. Her father would have been infuriated.

Kat felt tears come to her eyes as she watched her sister. _Soy una mala hermana (I'm a bad sister)._ After lunch she yelled at her sister for mentioning their father, which caused the girl to burst into tears, instantly causing Kat to be filled with guilt. She had done her best the past two years since her mother that woman left them. Her best wasn't always good enough. He had managed to get a slap or two in before Kat could intervene. There were also hungry nights for the little girl. Kat went hungry more often, but her sister's health was more important than her own. Yet after all that, after getting away and being in a safer place, she now was the one to hurt her hermanita by yelling. Kat had calmed the girl and apologized. Nina bounced back as only little children can and was content playing. Kat, on the other hand, was still paralyzed by the recent events. _Dios ayudanos (God help us)._

Almost working herself up into a panic, Kat felt the desperate need for fresh air.

"Jarvis?" Kat hesitantly spoke out loud, causing her sister to pause in playing.

"Yes, Ms." The AI thankfully answered back.

"Is there somewhere I can go to get some air?"

"Leaving the Tower is not advised. There is, however, a roof top deck that you may access."

 _Gracias a Dios,_ "Nina, I'll be back in a few moments. Can you please be a good girl and stay here?" The little girl gave a large smile and nodded. "Thank you mamita. Call Jarvis if you need anything." Normally Kat wouldn't have left her alone, but she was desperate.

"Okay!"

With her sister's promise to obey, Kat made a quick exit, and with Jarvis' help she was breathing fresh air within a few minutes.

Kat wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there before the tears started to fall. Before she knew it she was hunched over, holding the railing sobbing. It was all just too much.

She hadn't been crying for long when she heard movement behind her. Her body reacted automatically, curling itself into a ball and with her arms covering her head.

* * *

Clint was a seasoned agent. He knew to distant himself. Somehow with these girls he couldn't. Jarvis had informed all of them that Katherine was headed to the roof. They doubted she would harm herself, but supervision was a good idea. He had volunteered to go.

It hurt him to see her curl into herself when she heard him approach. He forced himself not to clinch his fist in anger. He would destroy her father if he ever met her. Taking a breath he pushed aside the agent and brought out his sentimental side.

He slowly walked to the railing, making sure to leave a good amount of distance between them. Not looking at her, he spoke over the skyline, "My older brother and I were on our own at a young age." He could see her lift her head out of the corner of his eye. "We joined the circus." He paused slightly; to this day there was pain in remembering. He met her eye, "I do know the feeling of going to bed hungry and with bruises." Understanding filled her still crying eyes. Unfolding herself Katherine slowly stood up and joined him in looking over the city.

"What happened?" Her question was spoken so lightly it was almost lost in the open space.

"I learned to fight, to shoot a bow. I went bad. Then SHIELD picked me up."

His words hung in the air for a little bit before she spoke again, "And the fear?"

Clint slowly exhaled, "I fight it. For a while it was every hour. Then it changed to a few times a day. Eventually it was only every few days, and then every once in a while."

"Does it ever fully go away?"

"No."

* * *

Kat has never been more thankful for someone being so honest with her. She didn't think this fear – this pain – would ever fully go away. She knew she would always carry it, but there was hope. She wiped her eyes with her now very dirty shirt and turned to face Barton.

"Thank you," she poured her gratitude into those words.

He turned towards her and nodded, "You're not alone anymore."

She felt that she has never heard a more true sentence.

"Why don't you clean up, put on a new shirt, and I'll make you some lunch?"

For once she wasn't second guessing an act of kindness. She was, however, embarrassed. "I…I don't have anything else to wear besides my pjs," she muttered looking at her feet.

"Let me guess, you focused on your sister's stuff and forgot your own?" Barton nailed it. She nodded. "Come with me," he waved her towards him as he started walking back towards the elevator. "We'll find you something to wear." Feeling a level of comfort and trust she was surprised with, Kat followed Barton. _Posiblemente va a estar bien_ (Possibly it will be okay.)

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's a bit short.


	5. Chapter 5: Decisions

**A/N:** I apologize for taking forever to update. Life in Vietnam has been busy. I now have a new job and a new apartment. I also had to find some inspiration to write. Anyway, thank you those who review/favorite/follow. Enjoy the next chapter.

 **Chapter 5: Decisions**

* * *

A feeling of warmth was starting to creep inside Kat's heart; a feeling she wasn't too familiar with. Her only light, her only joy, for years had been her sister. That little girl's smile would make everything seem worth it. Kat knew world was small. It was mainly filled with fear of her father and for her sister. Now she was sitting in a growing familiar spot, the kitchen table. She was wearing clean, fully-intact clothes. Barton had her wait in her room for a few minutes before coming back with pair of dark leggings, gray tank top, and black hoodie. The clothes obviously belonged to someone else and didn't fit her well. Not that she was complaining. These were better than what she had, and she never really had clothes that fit her great to begin with; digging through donation bins didn't give her many options. To top it all Barton was cooking for her. Her sister was playing with her dolls on the floor to her left. Kat felt neglectful for leaving the small child alone before, but she knew she was in good hands. Well, an AI didn't have hands, but whatever. Life finally seemed to turn around for her.

"So, what grade are you in?" Barton casually asked as he stirred the vegetables he was cooking; he claimed to make mean fajitas.

Kat's throat tightened a bit. _Claro, nada es gratis (of course nothing is free)._ She may have connected with the man based on his childhood, but she wasn't stupid as to think he didn't have motivation behind it….well she had hoped… "I have my GED."

"Oh? When did you finish up that?"

"A while ago," she murmured.

"What do you do then during the day?"

 _Of course he is pushing,_ Kat thought to herself, "Mainly take care of Nina."

He just nodded his head at that answer before bringing over a plate of vegetable fijitas from the kitchen. "Eat up kid," he told her. Barton did the dishes while she ate. _Maybe questions were worth the food._ It was delicious.

* * *

In a back alleyway near to the tower a female figure casually leaned against a building wall with a phone to her ear, "Agent Report," the no-nonsense voice ordered over the device.

Romanoff took a small breath before answering, her tone betraying nothing, "Target has claimed powers of perception, including ability to perceive future events."

"Clairvoyant?"

"Not necessarily, she said it only happens on occasions. She refused to divulge more."

"Test her abilities and report back."

"Sir – "

" – that's an order agent."

"Yes, sir."

The call ended and Romanoff let out a slight sigh. Before the Avengers, before gods and devils and things they never trained for came, she would have followed through without hesitation. Maybe she was beginning to be compromised. Still, she had to protect her team, and the meant following orders. She would proceed with cautions, but she had to continue all the same. Resolved, she straightened her coat before walking back to her building.

* * *

Dinner that night was awkward to say the least, even with half the team missing. Pepper was there, as was Rogers, Barton, and Romanoff. JARVIS had called Kat and her sister for dinner; they had spent the afternoon in their rooms. For the first time in a while Kat had felt at ease. She was full, her sister was happy, and she was relatively safe; that good feeling vanished though as she walked into the common area. The others were already at the table and food – hamburgers with fries- was on the table. She had to face what happened earlier. Barton may have connected with her, but he wasn't who she yelled at.

After sitting Nina at the table she walked over to Pepper's seat and stood before her. Avoiding eye contact she whispered an apology, "I'm sorry for yelling, running out, and not finishing the dishes." For a moment Kat thought maybe she spoke too softly. Then Pepper stood up. Kat started shaking slightly. When she saw the woman's arm raised, Kat tightly closed her eyes and prepared for the pain. She knew better than to try and duck when she was being punished.

Kat's eyes opened in shock when she felt not a punch to the head or gut, but rather thin arms wrap around her and hold her gently. The last time she had received a hug from someone, besides Nina, was the day before her mother left. Kat stood still, afraid and wanting it to end while also wanting to stay that way for a while.

Pepper let go after a few seconds. Making eye contact with Kat she firmly told her, "It's okay. You were emotional and yelled. That happened. As for the dishes, don't worry. You cooked for everyone, us doing the dishes was nothing."

Kat slowly nodded and moved to sit down. The entire meal her brain was going haywire over what just occurred. _No entiendo lo que pasớ_ _(I don't understand what happened)._

* * *

Pepper's heart couldn't help but go out to the girl. She had obviously been abused for a long time. The fact that Kat thought she was going to hit her broke her heart.

Part way through the meal, Pepper brought up what Barton had informed her of earlier, "Kat, I was told you need some clothes?"

The girl went bright red. Embarrassing her wasn't her intent. "Not to worry, how about we look on a tablet for some different things you might like? We could even get a few things for Nina."

"I…I'm okay, thank you though," Kat muttered out.

Clearly the girl wouldn't take handouts. Pepper employed a different strategy. "mmm.. how about this? We will order clothes today and in return tomorrow you will help me around the office?"

".wwwhat? you want me to work for you?" Kat stuttered.

"Yes," Pepper said with certainty. Kat remained silent, mostly out of shock. This woman, who Kat had just recently yelled at, was offering her work. After a few moments, Kat nodded her head and with sincerity said "thank you."

Pepper couldn't help but smile as she watched Kat's posture relax slightly. The atmosphere at the table was so different from the other day, she could hardly believe how short a time it has been.

* * *

As promised, after dinner Pepper helped Kat order some clothes. It was kind of embarrassing and very weird when JARVIS gave her clothing size. The clothes arrived in hours. Nina had so much fun dressing up; she particularly loved her Moana pjs. Both girls snuggled into their beds and fell asleep happily, although one with more ease than the other. Kat couldn't help but feel nervous about tomorrow what it would bring.

Turns out Kat had reason to be nervous, not about work though. The day went extremely well. Pepper showed her how to make copies, answer phones, and do random small jobs. When Kat caught an error on a budgeting report, Pepper praised her and gave her more advanced work. Kat couldn't help but feel proud. She loved school, learning, and math was her favorite. To use her brain for something other than survival felt good. Kat tried not to feel too disappointed that it was only for one day.

Nina had been in the Tower's daycare for the day while Kat was at work. When Pepper told her to grab her sister and head back up to the top floor so of the tower – the business offices were on the bottom floor- Kat was torn between rushing to see her sister and meandering as her wonderful day at work was over. Focusing on the positive, Kat turned her thoughts to her sister. Nina loved playing with others, and she was sure that little girl would have made a few new friends in childcare. Kat was almost to the right floor, she had taken the stairs as she tended to avoid enclosed spaces, when she came to a sudden stop. _Debería haber el ascensor (I should have taken the elevator),_ she told herself as she found Romanoff blocking the doorway. Kat's natural instincts told her to run. Slowly, Kat walked towards the terrifying red head who was watching Kat carefully.

When Kat stood on the same level, only a few feet from her, both stood in silence for a few moments. "May I pass?" Kat asked with a level voice.

"Not yet," Romanoff's words sent shivers down Kat's spine. "We need to talk."

Kat felt her throat go dry, "About what?"

"You know what," Romanoff's tone remained steady.

Kat's voice sounded distant to her ears, "my powers."

Romanoff nodded.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't know what to tell you. I don't really understand them myself," Kat confessed. That was part of the reason she didn't want to talk with the others earlier. She was afraid that once they knew how little she knew and how little she could be of use to them then she would be sent to the government or back to her father. Kat wasn't sure which would be worse.

Kat was surprised when there was no change in Romanoff's face; if anything it seemed she had expected Kat's answer. "You need to let the others run some tests," Romanoff informed her.

Kat took a step back and shook her head, "No, no tests."

Romanoff took a step forward, "They will make sure the tests don't hurt you, but we need to know. You could be a danger to yourself or others."

Kat just shook her head and gave a small cry, "I would never do that!"

Romanoff's voice seemed to soften slightly, "but you don't know that for sure. Until you learn what you could do you might. Do you really want that on your conscious?"

Kat started to feel panic. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She didn't want to be tested on. She didn't want to be controlled. She just wanted to be safe and take care of her sister. Romanoff let the silence settle before speaking again, "You will tell Stark and Banner tonight that you want to learn more about your powers."

"…if I don't?" Kat's small defiance was spoken in such a small whisper that she doubted it counted for strength at all.

The harshness in Romanoff's voice shook Kat to the core, "You have no choice." Kat didn't need to know what she meant by that. Kat nodded once and with that Romanoff walked away. It took Kat a few minutes before she could do the same thing.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know it's a bit short. Lacking inspiration here. This was a hard chapter for some reason. Anyway, in case you are wondering, I have Kat's emotions all over the place because like any child who has been abused, they distrust any kindness but still yearn for it at the same time. She will be this way for a while. While she is older, she is partially emotionally stunted at a younger age because the abuse. The only reason she is more mature is because she had to be to take care of her sister. As I said in the story she does have her GED and is actually quite smart, not a genius, but better than average.

Review and inspire me to write more ;)


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